Zion Williamson threw down thunderous dunk in first minute of return game for Duke

Duke University forward Zion Williamson made his triumphant return to the court on Thursday night. It didn’t take long for the star freshman to make his presence known.

In the first few minutes of Duke’s game against Syracuse in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament, Williamson picked off the ball from Syracuse guard Frank Howard. What Williamson did next will certainly be added to his lengthy highlight reel.

Williamson broke down the court undefended before sending a thunderous slam through the hoop. The play instantly brought his team — and Duke’s fans — to their feet.

This is Williamson’s first game back from the knee injury he suffered on February 20. His Nike PG2.5 shoe blew out on him early in the game against North Carolina, causing him to slip and fall. He missed the remainder of that game, as well as the next five contests.

Now, the probable first pick in the 2019 NBA Draft is back, and with a new pair of shoes:Kyrie Irving 4s. His return couldn’t have come at a better time. A healthy Williamson will be critical to Duke’s success in both the ACC and NCAA Tournaments.

This season, Williamson has arguably been the country’s best freshman. In the regular season, he averaged 21.6 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists while shooting 68.3 percent. His success has contributed significantly to Duke’s No. 3 national ranking.

Duke was leading Syracuse at halftime of this game. Assuming the Blue Devils hold on to win, they would face North Carolina Friday night in the ACC semifinals. This certainly won’t be Williamson’s last highlight reel play of the ACC Tournament.